Is Acupuncture Effective for Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in Traditional Chinese Medicine theory belongs to a class of disorders called Bi syndromes. ‘Bi’ means painful blockage in Chinese. Bi syndromes occur when wind, cold, damp, or heat pathogens invade the meridians affecting the joints, muscles, bones, and connective tissue. Invasion of these pathogenic factors lead to local pain, swelling, stiffness, and potentially deformity. Acupuncture has been used for more than 2000 years to treat painful Bi syndromes. The aim of acupuncture is help rid the body of the pathogenic factors and to move local qi and blood to improve symptoms.
Conventional Western treatment of RA is aimed at stopping disease progression and stopping further joint destruction. Western medicine uses DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rheumatics) like methotrexate, NSAIDs like ibuprofen, and biologic medications to limit joint damage and help with pain. These medications, while necessary to stop damage, do not always improve pain and can be associated with severe side effects.
How Does Acupuncture Help Rheumatoid Arthritis?
The proposed mechanism of how acupuncture works to improve symptoms of RA is debated. Most commonly agreed upon is the anti-inflammatory effect of acupuncture. One study found that acupuncture decreased inflammatory makers in subjects receiving acupuncture. Inflammatory biomarkers such as ESR (sedimentation rate), CRP (C-reactive protein), RF (rheumatoid factor), were measured pre- and post- acupuncture and showed decreased levels following acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture also improves chemicals that reduce oxidative stress like super oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase which can also decrease inflammation in RA. Acupuncture also showed a decrease in IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies. Centralized release of endorphins may also contribute to the analgesic effect of acupuncture. Ultimately, the review concluded that “acupuncture either alone or in combination with other modalities is beneficial to the clinical conditions of RA without adverse effects reported and can improve function and quality of life.”
What Happens in an Acupuncture Visit?
Acupuncture treatments include diagnosis based on constitution and patient symptoms. Acupuncturist then personalizes treatment based on each individual’s pattern. Typically a course of acupuncture starts with 4-6 treatments weekly to assess for response to treatment. After this time, treatment methodology or frequency may be adjusted. Acupuncture used in combination with naturopathic and conventional treatment can improve pain and function in those with RA.
If you are interested in treatment of your rheumatoid arthritis pain with acupuncture, call our office today to schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable physicians.
Chou, P. C., & Chu, H. Y. (2018). Clinical Efficacy of Acupuncture on Rheumatoid Arthritis and Associated Mechanisms: A Systemic Review. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2018, 8596918. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8596918
